(CNN) - Republican presidential candidate and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann said the White House is using military personnel as pawns in a political game surrounding the ongoing deficit reduction talks.

"Don't allow our military men and women to dangle over a fire and think they won't get paid," Bachmann said at a press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday.FULL POST

Since February, the Federal Reserve Chairman has issued a stern warning to Congress: if it fails to raise the U.S. debt ceiling by Aug. 2, the economic fallout could be "catastrophic," "self defeating" and "dire."

And yet, here we are in mid-July, with the country only three weeks away from a possible default, and Bernanke is repeating his warning yet again - this time in his semi-annual monetary policy report to Congress.

(CNN) - The Republican National Committee launched its second ad Wednesday as part of a month-long campaign highlighting what they see as President Obama's failed leadership on the economy.

The minute-long spot, "Change Direction," contrasts excerpts from President Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2008 with the current unemployment rate and national debt. It will air on cable and broadcast stations in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and New Hampshire, all states President Obama won in 2008 in which Republicans hope to be competitive.FULL POST

Kim Lehman, former president of Iowa Right to Life and an Iowa Republican National Committeewoman, announced her support for the former Pennsylvania senator, known for his socially conservative values.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - Michele Bachmann received a jump in the latest national poll of Republican presidential candidates, beat only by frontrunner Mitt Romney.

According to the Quinnipiac University Poll of Republican and Republican-leaning voters released Tuesday, Minnesota Rep. Bachmann garnered 14 percent support, up eight points from a June 8 survey. Her poll numbers have risen considerably since entering the race on June 27.FULL POST

(CNN) - Democrat Janice Hahn won a special election in California's 36th Congressional District Tuesday to replace former Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, who stepped down earlier this year, according to unofficial results from the California Secretary of State's office.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Los Angeles City Council member Hahn received 54.6 percent of the vote to Republican candidate and businessman Craig Huey's 45.4 percent.FULL POST

(CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will not sign a controversial marriage vow from the Iowa social conservative group, The Family Leader.

"Mitt Romney strongly supports traditional marriage but he felt this pledge contained references and provisions that were undignified and inappropriate for a presidential campaign," said campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul late Tuesday night.